2006 Arkansas lieutenant gubernatorial election

2006 Arkansas lieutenant gubernatorial election

← 2002 November 7, 2006 (2006-11-07) 2010  →
Turnout	47.22%
Nominee Bill Halter Jim Holt Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 437,490 325,215 Percentage 57.36% 42.64%
Results by county Halter:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Holt:     50–60%
Lieutenant Governor before election Vacant Elected Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter Democratic

The 2006 Arkansas lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006, to elect the Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, concurrently with elections to the United States House of Representatives, governor, and other state and local elections. Primary elections were held on May 23, 2006, with primary runoff elections, if necessary, being held on June 13, 2006. ^[1]

Incumbent Republican lieutenant governor Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, who was term-limited from seeking a third full term in office, died on July 16, 2006, due to complications from myeloproliferative disorder. ^{[2] [3]} The office remained vacant until the November general election.

Former Social Security Administration commissioner Bill Halter, who had previously considered a run for governor, defeated state legislator Jim Holt in the general election, flipping party control of the office. ^[4] As of 2026, this election is the last time a Democrat was elected to the office of lieutenant governor. ^[5]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jim Holt, state senator from the 35th district (2003–present) and state representative from the 5th district (2001–2003) ^[6]

Eliminated in primary

• Charles Banks ^[7]
• Doug Matayo, state representative from the 93rd district (2003–present) ^[8]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Charles Banks	Jim Holt	Doug Matayo	Undecided
SurveyUSA/KTHV [9]	May 12–14, 2006	344 (LV)	± 5.3%	12%	57%	12%	19%
SurveyUSA/KTHV [10]	April 8–10, 2006	353 (LV)	± 5.2%	12%	59%	7%	22%

Results

Republican primary results ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Holt	35,309	56.16
	Republican	Charles Banks	15,722	25.01
	Republican	Doug Matayo	11,837	18.83
Total votes			62,868	100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Bill Halter, former acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration (2001) ^[11]

Eliminated in primary runoff

• Tim Wooldridge, state senator and former state representative ^[12]

Eliminated in primary

• Mike Hathorn, former state representative from the 90th district (2003–2005) and 24th district (1999–2003) ^[13]
• Jay Martin, majority leader of the Arkansas House of Representatives (2005–present) from the 40th district (2003–present) ^[14]

Polling

Regular primary

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Bill Halter	Mike Hathorn	Jay Martin	Tim Wooldridge	Undecided
SurveyUSA/KTHV [9]	May 12–14, 2006	491 (LV)	± 4.5%	41%	14%	6%	20%	20%
SurveyUSA/KTHV [10]	April 8–10, 2006	446 (LV)	± 4.7%	33%	14%	7%	15%	31%

Runoff

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Bill Halter	Tim Wooldridge	Other/Undecided
SurveyUSA/KTHV [15]	June 9–11, 2006	455 (LV)	± 4.7%	60%	35%	6%
SurveyUSA/KTHV [16]	June 3–5, 2006	436 (LV)	± 4.8%	59%	34%	7%

Results

Democratic primary results ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Halter	110,797	39.97
	Democratic	Tim Wooldridge	73,718	26.59
	Democratic	Mike Hathorn	68,531	24.72
	Democratic	Jay Martin	24,174	8.72
Total votes			277,220	100.0
Runoff election
	Democratic	Bill Halter	97,279	56.50
	Democratic	Tim Wooldridge	74,906	43.50
Total votes			172,185	100.0

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Jim Holt (R)	Bill Halter (D)	Other/Undecided
SurveyUSA/KTHV [17]	November 3–5, 2006	549 (LV)	± 4.3%	42%	50%	7%
SurveyUSA/KTHV [18]	October 22–24, 2006	572 (LV)	± 4.2%	39%	54%	7%
SurveyUSA/KTHV [19]	September 25–26, 2006	493 (LV)	± 4.5%	42%	48%	10%
SurveyUSA/KTHV [20]	August 27–29, 2006	538 (LV)	± 4.3%	41%	50%	8%
SurveyUSA/KTHV [21]	July 14–16, 2006	509 (LV)	± 4.4%	39%	48%	12%

Results

2006 Arkansas lieutenant gubernatorial election ^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Halter	437,490	57.36
	Republican	Jim Holt	325,515	42.64
Total votes			763,005	100.0
	Democratic gain from Republican

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

References

1. "2006 Congressional Primary Dates" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 28, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
2. Barnes, Steve (July 17, 2006). "Arkansas Lt. Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller Dies at 57". The New York Times. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
3. "Win Rockefeller Dead At 57". CBS News. July 16, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
4. "Blanche Lincoln Draws Dem Challenger". CBS News. March 1, 2010. Retrieved March 2, 2026. He was elected lieutenant governor in 2006 after briefly considering a run for governor against Mike Beebe, who won the post.
5. "History of Our Office". Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
6. Sabin, Warwick (June 22, 2006). "Trojan man". Arkansas Times. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
7. "Voice of Arkansas: A Report on Voting Trends in the Natural State" (PDF). Arkansas Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 21, 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
8. Bowden, Bill (March 9, 2010). "Matayo makes 8 for GOP primary" . Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved March 2, 2026. He ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2006, finishing third in the Republican primary election.
9. "SurveyUSA Election Poll #9240". SurveyUSA. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
10. "SurveyUSA Election Poll #8867". SurveyUSA. April 11, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
11. Brantley, Max (June 14, 2006). "Elections — Halter, Shoffner and ?". Arkansas Times. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
12. "Democratic State Sen. Tim Wooldridge Announces his run for Lieutenant Governor". KAIT-8. April 24, 2005. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
13. McCord, Robert (May 18, 2006). "Sneaky Hathorn". Arkansas Times. Retrieved March 2, 2026. Hathorn, a 32-year-old lawyer who was a former state legislator from Huntsville (home of the late six-term governor Orval Faubus), is trying to be elected lieutenant governor this year.
14. "Former Democratic candidate for Arkansas governor announces bid for Supreme Court chief justice". KATV-7. October 5, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2026. Martin also ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 2006.
15. "SurveyUSA Election Poll #9541". SurveyUSA. June 12, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
16. "SurveyUSA Election Poll #9432". SurveyUSA. June 6, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
17. "SurveyUSA Election Poll #10645". SurveyUSA. November 6, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
18. "SurveyUSA Election Poll #10443". SurveyUSA. October 25, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
19. "SurveyUSA Election Poll #10322". SurveyUSA. September 27, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
20. "SurveyUSA Election Poll #10100". SurveyUSA. August 30, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
21. "SurveyUSA Election Poll #9729". SurveyUSA. July 17, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
22. "Arkansas Secretary of State". Arkansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 2, 2026.